Thread of Hope
by PrehistoricCat
Summary: "He wondered why he'd even bothered to ask; maybe it was the tiny thread of hope deep inside that perhaps she did still think more of him than her work at the ARC." - contains spoilers for series 4


**Disclaimer: Not mine, no copyright intended**

**A/N. Contains a number of spoilers for series 4 based on various press releases that have been published this week on some fansites. You have been warned.**

* * *

Connor had known what her answer would be. He wondered why he'd even bothered to ask; maybe it was the tiny thread of hope deep inside that perhaps she did still think more of him than her work at the ARC. Throwing the last of his worldly possessions into the sports holdall, he took one last lingering look around the flat and wondered exactly when things had all gone so horribly wrong.

He and Abby had been drifting apart for a number of weeks now. Their roles at the ARC had changed significantly from what they'd been before their enforced stay in the Cretaceous era. After an initial settling in period in which he and Abby had been as one mind, they had both settled into new routines and expectations. Abby loved being out in the field, in the middle of all the action. They'd tried to make her stay in the ARC to take care of the creatures - Philip Burton had even offered to help fund her return to University to complete her zoology degree and maybe undertake some kind of Veterinary training, but she'd declined. She ignored the new ARC policy that only those properly trained in firearms could be out in the field, and Matt gave up trying to stop her. Connor, on the other hand, had found that he had no desire to be at every anomaly alert. He still had a fear that he'd end up trapped the wrong side of one again. He relished the opportunities that Philip had given him to concentrate on research and development, and would often shut himself away for hours on end, much to Abby's annoyance.

The ARC was becoming divided into "the brains" and "the brawn", and Abby and Connor found themselves constantly being torn between their time together and their work; putting a huge strain on their relationship. During one particular argument, Connor had accused Abby of having a "thing" for Matt Anderson. Abby laughed and threw back the accusation that the only third party in their relationship was Philip Burton. Connor's attempt at making amends with a romantic dinner out was scuppered by an anomaly alert. Things were never really resolved properly after that. They still shared a bed, but usually one or both of them were too tired to do anything other than sleep.

So when Philip presented Connor with an exciting opportunity to have state of the art technology at his fingertips and a pool of keen young scientists to help him, he leapt at it. The only catch was, it would mean uprooting and moving 200 miles back up north. "I have a very good friend at Leeds University who can provide you with everything you need, Connor. The only thing he asks is you help out with the occasional seminar. You might even come across a promising student who can help us finally nail this project. You have family in the area don't you?"

Connor shook his head. "Not since my mother passed away."

"Well, I don't expect you to make a decision straight away. I realise that you do have another person to consider in this." Philip said.

Connor thought of nothing else for three whole days. He watched Abby at the ARC, and could see how happy she was. He couldn't ask her to leave all this, could he? He thought about commuting, but the journey would be at least three hours there, and another three hours home. He thought about being in Leeds during the week and travelling home to London, and Abby, at the weekend – but he knew that their jobs were not straight forward Nine to Five hours, and he couldn't envisage just having a relationship at weekends. They both deserved better. It was going to have to be all or nothing. He wanted this job in Leeds so much, and if Abby wasn't prepared to follow him then...

He had cooked dinner whilst Abby had a long soak in the bath. She'd spent the best part of the day up to her waist in Jurassic slime and smiled gratefully at Connor when he'd said he was cooking. Over dinner he told her about the job offer.

"It sounds perfect for you, Connor. You must be pretty excited?" She said, but not quite able to look into his eyes.

"I am, and I think I would be a fool not to take it."

"I agree, Connor." They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. Abby knew what it meant; she was just waiting for him to say it. His face was crumpled; a look she knew meant he was trying to find the right words. She usually helped him out, but she couldn't bring herself to do so this time.

"I want you to come with me, Abby." He finally said. "Philip says he can help us find a flat in Leeds and..."

"I can't, Connor. I'm sorry." she said, taking his hand. "The ARC is important to me."

"More important than I am?"

"Perhaps." Abby said quietly. "I thought it was important to you too."

"It used to be, Abby, but it's changed. Its becoming exactly what Helen Cutter said it would. The only way to stop all this from happening is to put all our energy into finding out how to stop the anomalies." He could feel tears prickling the backs of his eyes and he blinked them away. He was not going to cry.

"I disagree, Connor. People are dying out there, people we care about. Without the ARC, more will die. Didn't we say back in the Cretaceous that we would do everything in our power to make sure what happened to us, and to Stephen and to Cutter couldn't happen to anyone else?" Abby said, blinking back her own tears.

"That's what I'm doing, Abby! This is important to me."

"More important than I am?" Abby said, repeating the question Connor had asked of her.

Connor lowered his head. "I guess this means that we're over?"

"Its not what I want, Connor. But if you're making me choose between the ARC and you... then it has to be the ARC. I'm sorry."

Connor stood up and went into the spare bedroom that he used as his study area. Closing the door behind him seemed symbolic; he was closing the door on his relationship with Abby. Finally allowing the tears to flow, he slumped onto the bed and buried his head in his hands. If he'd left the door open, or peered back into the lounge, he would have seen an equally devastated Abby with her head on the table, sobbing uncontrollably.

And so now, two days later, he was packing to move to Leeds. Abby had said she couldn't stand to watch him, so she'd gone to stay at Jess's place to allow him the space. It was probably best this way, no tearful goodbyes to deal with. He heard the taxi he'd booked pull up outside and sound its horn. This was it. In half an hour, he'd be on the train to Leeds and leaving the last 4 years of his life, and the only person he had ever loved, behind.

As he sat in the taxi, he fiddled with the ring around his neck. It seemed strange to have it there again; Abby had been wearing it for the last few months until the discussion that put an end to everything. He had found it in his desk drawer at the ARC. It was the final nail in the coffin for him and made him realise that it really was over.

The taxi pulled up at the train station, and he unloaded his bags. He reached into his back pocket to find his wallet and opened it to get a £10 note out. Inside one of the slots used for credit cards was a photo, one of the sort you get done for passports. It was him and Abby, taken about a week after they'd returned to the modern world. His face was red and sore after having a proper shave at the barber's to remove all traces of the unruly, tangled beard he'd grown. Abby had dragged him into the photo booth, insisting that they had their first photo together as a couple now that he looked like "her Connor" again. He felt a stabbing pain in his heart as he looked at it; could he leave her? After everything they'd been through together; everything they had come to mean to each other?

The taxi driver stared at him and tapped his foot impatiently. Connor pushed the money into his hand, then stood on the pavement outside the station watching him drive away. Suddenly, Connor felt very alone. The last time he'd been at this station was five years ago, the day he left home to start his University course. He'd almost turned around and gone home again, wishing he hadn't listened to his friends who had encouraged him to make the move and start afresh after losing his mum. This time, the temptation to hail another taxi and go back to his and Abby's flat was almost overwhelming. A taxi pulled up beside him to drop another person off, and he almost got in. Then he remembered how his life had changed when he took the plunge and didn't turn back before – maybe this latest move would be good for him too? With a final glance behind him, he picked up his bags and walked through to the main forecourt of the train station.

-o-

(three months later)

"I don't think you're going to like it." Jess said, handing Matt the piece of paper with the co-ordinates of the latest anomaly on.

"Great!" he said under his breath. "It'll take us hours to get there, and who knows what sort of carnage we'll meet."

"What's wrong?" Abby said, strapping her EMD to her belt. She still hadn't quite got used to the devices that Matt had introduced and she would have preferred to use her tranquilliser gun – but she had to admit the EMD was more effective.

"The latest anomaly is in Headingley. Two hundred miles away." Matt said. "I'm going to see if Lester has access to a small plane or helicopter we could use." He disappeared up the stairs towards Lester's office.

Abby peered over Jess's shoulder at the map flashing on the screen in front of her. "Headingley? Isn't that near Leeds?"

"Its a few miles away, but not far. Isn't Connor in Leeds?" Jess said. Abby nodded sadly. "Well, maybe we don't need to worry too much. Connor's probably already there."

"Possibly." Abby said. She pulled out her mobile phone and scrolled down the list of contacts until she reached Connor's name. She hesitated. She had had no contact with him since he'd left, and she wasn't sure if she could handle hearing his voice and not seeing him. Jess realised straight away what was wrong.

"Text him. Give him the location and tell him the team are on their way but it could be a few hours and any assistance he could give would be gratefully received." she said, placing a reassuring hand on Abby's arm. Abby smiled, a text message she could handle. She sent it, and waited anxiously. He responded minutes later.

"_We're on it. Happy to help."_ Abby stared at the screen – We? Connor wasn't working alone then? What if he'd found someone else? Her thoughts were interrupted by Matt's voice telling her they had a small aeroplane on standby at the local aerodrome ready to take them to the anomaly site. Panic suddenly swept through her. "I'll stay here." Abby said. "I don't like flying, you can probably manage OK without me."

"Seriously? You never said you didn't like flying before?" Matt said, slightly annoyed.

"It's never come up before." she replied.

"Abby, you can't avoid him forever you know. Sooner or later your paths are going to cross because of what you both do." Jess said.

Matt sighed. "Connor, I assume?"

"He's on his way to the anomaly to help out. I don't think I can face him." Abby said.

"You can, and you will, Abby. I need you out there. Now get yourself into the car and I'll see you at the aerodrome in about ten minutes." he turned and walked off. Abby knew she couldn't argue.

About an hour later, the small plane carrying Abby, Matt, Becker and three soldiers had landed at a small airstrip 3 miles from Headingley. A 4x4 had been arranged for them, and they ran straight to it. Matt put Jess's co-ordinates into the sat nav and they sped off. Abby always felt slightly nervous when they went out on an anomaly call, but she felt sick in the pit of her stomach. They turned a corner and the anomaly came into sight. Abby peered through the window and saw the unmistakeable figure of Connor crouched on the floor by some kind of contraption – no doubt his latest anomaly busting device. It was as if he'd never been away, and he'd simply just gone ahead of them.

"Hey, Connor. Good to see you again. What we got here?" Matt said as he approached the site.

Connor grinned. "Good to see you guys again. I don't think anything's come through, although it had been open about 20 minutes before we got here. There's been no sightings reported, and I locked it down as soon as we arrived."

"Excellent... we?" Matt said, glancing at Abby. She had deliberately hung back, trying to hide behind the soldiers.

"Ah yes, should introduce you to my assistant." Connor whistled then shouted. "Lucy!"

Abby felt her stomach lurch. It was just as she had feared; Connor had well and truly moved on with his life and had found someone else. She scanned around, curious to see what this Lucy looked like. They were greeted by a series of excited barks and a Labrador dog came bounding over to them, tail wagging like mad and tongue hanging out. "This is Lucy. Comes everywhere with me, and can sniff out a creature within 100 metres." Connor said.

Everyone made a fuss of the dog and then the group dispersed to survey the surrounding area for creatures. "I'll disconnect my device and let you set up your own, and I'll be on my way."

"Your help is really appreciated, Connor." Matt said. "Perhaps you'd like to join us for a drink or something before we head back?"

Connor glanced at Abby, catching her eye for the first time since she'd arrived. She immediately turned away and he felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest. He wanted to speak to her, ask her if she was OK, but she clearly didn't want to speak to him. He didn't blame her though, he was the one that had walked out of their relationship not her. "I don't think that's such a good idea, but thanks anyway."

Matt slapped him on the back and headed off to where Becker and the soldiers were, leaving Connor to put his device away. Abby was making her way back to the vehicle. She knew she shouldn't have come. Glancing around to make sure no-one else was around, she let her tears fall. This was stupid, almost pathetic. It was three months since he'd left, and after she'd spent a week crying and shutting herself away she'd switched herself off emotionally and thrown herself into her work.

She could hear heavy panting behind her, and had the feeling she was being watched. Her hand slid automatically to her EMD as she turned around expecting to see a man, or a creature. Sitting about 5 metres from her was Lucy, tongue hanging out and almost grinning. Her chocolate brown eyes resembled Connor's, and were fixed on Abby with the exact same expression that Connor used when he wanted something. "Don't look at me like that!" Abby hissed She wasn't keen on mammals, especially the domestic variety, but there was something about Lucy that Abby found hard to resist. "I can't play with you. Go and find Connor."

Lucy just sat there, her head slightly cocked to one side. Abby could hear Connor whistling and calling her, but Lucy didn't budge. Moments later, Abby panicked because she could see Connor running towards her. There was no escape. "I'm sorry, Abby. She doesn't usually disobey me." he said, out of breath and red faced. Abby wasn't sure if that was down to his lack of fitness since he'd left the ARC, or embarrassment.

"It's OK. She's nice, for a dog." Abby said. "Not the sort of pet I'd have expected you to have."

"She belonged to the old lady in the flat below me. When I first moved in, I helped her carry some shopping up stairs. When she passed away a week or so later, she'd left a letter saying she wanted Lucy to be looked after by the nice young man in the flat upstairs because he..." He stopped. "Anyway, we should be going."

"What were you going to say?" Abby said. "What did the old lady's letter say?"

"It doesn't matter." he said, turning away.

"Connor?" Abby said.

"OK. She said she wanted the young man upstairs to look after Lucy because he always looks so sad and misses his girlfriend." Connor sniffed. "Like I said, it doesn't matter." He took hold of Lucy's collar and walked away.

"Connor!" Abby called after him. He stopped and turned around. "For what it's worth, I miss you too."

Connor swallowed nervously. "Can we go for a drink or something? There's a pub just across the road."

"I'd like that." Abby smiled.

They strolled over to the pub, and Abby found a table outside so that Lucy could sit with them. They chatted over their drinks; Connor's research was going well, he helped Burton's friend three hours a week and had made a number of useful contacts who could help him with the electronics side of things. No-one knew exactly what the nature of his work was and he liked it that way. Outside of the University, Lucy was his only companion and he adored her. Abby had also spent most of her time working, but getting increasingly frustrated that they were just reacting to the anomalies as they occurred instead of trying to prevent them. The team needed Connor if they were going to move forward.

"And what about you? Have you... Is there a man in your life?" Connor asked, his voice slightly higher than usual. He wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"No. If I'm honest, I'd say I still have feelings for the last guy I was with. He's kind of a tough act to follow." She blushed, hoping Connor would realise it was him she was talking about.

"I see." Connor said. "Same here I guess. I made a bad decision three months ago."

Abby opened her mouth to say something just as her phone rang. "Its Matt, sorry." she answered it. "I'm in the pub just across the road with Connor... OK... when does the plane leave?" She glanced at her watch and grimaced. "Look, Matt. I'll make my own way home. I'll get the train or something. I just need... Thanks."

"They're going without you?" Connor said, the thread of hope he thought he'd lost suddenly seemed within grasp again.

"Yeah. I'd like to stay a little longer, if that's OK?" She said. "Is there anywhere nice to eat around here?"

"None that allow dogs." he nodded towards Lucy. "But maybe you could... no bad idea. We'll get fish and chips or something."

"I'd like to see your flat. Fish and chips, a couple of bottles of beer and curled up in front of the TV, just like we used to." Abby said.

The thread of hope became a rope. "Sounds good." Connor said.

-o-

Stomach full, and half a bottle of beer drunk, Abby found herself resting against Connor's shoulder. He shifted slightly, and she thought he was going to push her away, but instead his arm slid around her and pulled her closer. "We shouldn't be doing this, Connor. It's only going to make things harder when I have to leave."

"Then don't leave. Stay here." Connor said. "We can work something out. We should have talked this through properly three months ago instead of me deciding I was right and you were wrong, and thinking the reason you didn't drop everything and come with me was because you didn't love me."

"And I thought you left because you didn't love me." Abby said. She felt a tear trickle down her cheek.

"You'd have thought that after all the talking we did in the Cretaceous that we'd learnt to communicate with each other." Connor said. Abby placed her finger on his lips, then replaced it with her lips. It was like coming home, the familiar taste that could only be Connor, his warmth, his softness... she sighed and deepened the kiss, drawing him in closer and urging him to return it. He groaned softly from somewhere deep within and kissed her, his tongue dancing with hers.

"We have to work something out, Abby." Connor said. "I'm not going to lose you again."

"We will, Connor. In the morning." she said softly. "Right now, I just want to make up for three wasted months!" She stood up and held out her hand. Connor grinned and grabbed her hand, then scooped her up into his arms to carry her. Abby giggled as Connor stumbled across the lounge and fell through the bedroom door, landing on top of her. "I have missed you, Connor Temple!"

The door was pushed closed, and Lucy briefly looked up from her basket. She sensed change in the air, and one for the better.


End file.
